Weft-replenishing mechanism for multishuttle looms



Dec. 27, 1927.

A. A. GORDON WEF'T REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR MULTISHUTTLE LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed March 5. 1926 INVENTOR ALBERT A. GORDON Dec.27, 1927.

A. GORDON EFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR MULTISHUTI'LE LOUIS Filed Batch 3. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ALBERT A G R N W A. A. GORDON WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANI ESM FOR MULTISHUTTLE BOOKS Filed March 5. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOFE 'ALEEFQT GORDON AT-FORM; s

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

1 1,654,121 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT A. GORDON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMIP'ION &

KNUVJLES LOOM URKS, MAF'FSACHUSETTS.

F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, 1. CORPORATION OF WEFT-REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR MULTISHUTTLE LOOMS.

Application filed March 3, 1926. Serial No. 92,037.

This invention relates to a weft replenish ing mechanism particularly adapted for use in a loom having a plurzizlity of shuttle boxes at both ends thereof. A loom of this type is shown in my prior application, Serial No.

16,?91 tiled Mar. 19, 1925.

ll hile my improvements have been worked out with special reference to the loom shown in said application many features of the inl0 vention are of more general application and are not limited in th ir ptility to this particular type of multishut tle loom.

One important object of my invention to provide an in'iproved wejtt carrier mag-.-

zine together with novel and improved devices for releasing a weft carrier tl'icreifroin. it further object is to provide an improved weft carrier holder effective to receive a selected and released bobbin and to advance 0 it to transfer position.

Another important feature of the invention relates to the provision of a novel and improved transfer mechanism for the selected weft carrier. 5 My invention further relates to arrange ments and. combinations of parts which will he hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

1r preferred Form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is av right hand side elevation of a loom embodying my improvements;

Fig. S2 is an enlarged side elevation of certain of the parts shown in Fig. l;

3 is a partial sectional elevation, showing the magazine from the opposite side;

Fig. -l is a detail sectional front elevation, taken along the line 4--1 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side. elevation of certain cam mechanism to be described;

Fi 6 is a similar view, showing the parts in a dillerent position;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 7-7 in Fig. 4; i

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the bobbin holder;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view through the rotary shuttle boxes.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my improvements embodied. in a loom haw ing a loom side 10 (Fi 1), a cranknism to be described, when shaft 11, connecting rods or cam shaft 13, together with the usual lay 14 (F 3) and breast beam 15, all of these parts being of the usual construction. The lay 14L. is provided at its left hand end with the usual drop boxes and at its right hand end with shuttle boxes mounted in a rotary carrier and actuated by mechanism substantia'lly similar to that shown in the prior application above referred to.

For the purposes of this application, it is sufficient to state that the lifter rod 16 (Fig. 2) supports a pair oi rack bars 17 which selectively engage a pinion 18 secured to the rotary shuttle be support 19. ills the litter rod 16 is raised or lowered, the rack bar 17 is selectively engaged with the pinion l8 and rotates the support 19 to bring the de sired shuttle box in operative position at the top of the support.

l-loth the shuttles S and the shuttle bones are open from top to bottom as clearly shown in Fig. 10 and the hired shaft or beoringllO tor the rotary support 19 is slot ted vertically as indicated 111 in Fig. 10 to provide clear vertical passage for the downward movement of the ejected bobbins l3. It will be noted that the uneven number ol. shuttle boxes always provides a space below the opening 111 for the 'lurther ejection of the exhausted bobbin.

1 have also provided a guide member 20 2) mounted on the lay l iabove the rot support 19 and having guide-ways 21 ble transterrer 22.

12, and a bottom :tor a vertically movz A spring 23 holds the translerrcr normally raised against an adjustable stop 2%. The lransiterrcr .is moved downward by mechait is desired to replenish an exhausted weft carrier in the running shuttle.

The weft carrier magazine M (Fig. is of special construction and comprises end plates and (F .ig. 3) having ribs (not shown) forming the usual vertical compart- JllQDl m fOI wel't carriers of different kinds or colors. The lowermost welt carrier in each compartment is supported by a cradle or releasing device 27 (Figs. 4 and 7).

Each releasing device 27 is fixed on a cross rod 28 (Fig. 4) having hearings in the magazine side members and 26. A similar support (not shown) is provided on the rod 528 for the tip end of the bobbin.

, The supporting members are yieldingly held in operative position, (as indicated in Fig. 7) by coil springs 29 having one end thereof secured to fixed points on the magazine. Each releasing member 27 extends under and be ond'the magazine side plate 26 and has a caring portion 30 fixed to the end of the rod 28. A lug 31 projects laterally from each bearing portion 30 and is positioned under one of a series of bell cranks 32 (Fig. 3) pivoted on studs 33 in the magazine side 26. V The upper ends of the bell cranks 32 are connected by a bar 34 to a lever 35 mounted on a fixed pivot 36. A link 37 is pivoted on a stud adjustably secured in a slot 38 on the lower end of the lever 35 and is connected to an arm 40 on a rock shaft 41.

The shaft 41 extends along the breast beam 15 to the left hand side of the loom, where it is controlled by weft detecting mechanism of-an convenient construction. This mechanism orms no part of my present invention and it is sufficient to state that the shaft 41 is rocked in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 3 upon indication of weft exhaustion in the shuttle about to be picked to the magazine side of the loom. The bell cranks 32 are spaced from the lugs 31 so that they cannot directly engage the lugs when rocked by the lever 35. A spacing block 42 is yieldingly and pivotally mounted at 43 (Figs. 3 and 4) on an upward extension 44 formed on a rear wardly extending portion 45 of the bobbin holder 46. The bobbin holder is provided with a split hub 47 (Fig. 4) by which it is clamped to the upper end of a supporting rod 48 pivoted at 49 (Fig. 1) in substantial alignment with the usual rock, shaft upon which the lay is supported.

The bobbin holder 46 is provided with re eesses 50 and 51 (Fig. 8) to receive the bobbin or weft carrier TV which is to be advanced to transfer position and the bobbin is supported in the recesses by a pair of springs or springplates 52 (Fig. 9) at each end thereof. These springs are adapted to yield and'release the weft carrier when it is forced downward by the transferrer 22.

Special mechanism is provided for positioning the bobbin holder 46 so that it will receive a bobbin or weft carrier corresponding to the running shuttle in its recesses 50 and 51. For this purpose the supporting rod 48 (Fig. 1) is connected by a link 53 to a bell crank 54, the connection including an elongated slot in the link 53 to permit lost motion, aswill be hereinafter described.

The bell crank 54 is connected by a link 55 i to an arm 55 mounted on a rock shaft 55 which extends to the opposite side of the loom, where it is connected with the usual drop box mechanism so that the arm 55 will be moved in unison with the rise and fall of the usual drop boxes at the left hand side of the loom.

This drop box mechanism may be of any usual or commercial form and it is believed to be unnecessary to specifically describe the construction. or operation thereof in this application. As the arm 55 moves with the drop boxes it acts through the link 55, bell crank 54 and link 53 to swing the supporting rod 48 forward or back to present the bobbin holder 46 under the magazine compartments corresponding to the running shuttle.

As the bobbin holder 46 is thus moved under a selected magazine compartment the block 42 associated with the bobbin holder is moved to a position over the lug 31 of the releasing member 27 in the same magazine compartment, thereby rendering the associated bell crank 32 operative to release a bobbin therefrom.

In addition to the mechanism for thus selectively positioning the bobbin holder, I have provided mechanism for advancing the bobbin holder to transfer position prior to the operation of the transferrer 22. For this purpose, I have provided a collar 56 on the link which is engaged by the forked end of a lever 57 pivoted at 58 and havin an arm 59 connected by a link 60 to a cam ever 61. The connection between the link 60 and the lever 61 is preferably made adjustable as indicated in Fig. 1.

The cam lever 61 is pivoted at 62 and is provided with a cam roll 63 which is positioned in the groove or track 64 (Fig. 5) of a special double-acting cam 65 mounted on thebottom or cam shaft 13. The normally operative portion of the track 64 of the cam 65 is substantially circular, so that the lever 61 remains stationary when the cam roll is positioned in the circular portion of the cam track.

The cam 65 is provided, however, with outwardly extended track portions 66 which at times receive the roll 63 and give the cam lever 61 an operative movement. Pivoted grate fingers 68 normally occupy the positions indicated in Fig. 5 and are yieldingly retained in such positions by springs 69. i

Each finger 68 is provided, however, with a pin 7 0 extending into position for engagement by a lever 71 (Fig. 5) mounted on a fixed pivot 72.

The lever 71 is normally held out of pofition for engagement with the stud by a. spring 7 3 but may be advanced as hereinafter described to the position indicated in Fig. 6. in which position one of the fingers 68 will be swung inward to the position indicated at the right in Fig. 6, thus causing the cam roll 63 to traverse the extended portion 66 of the cam track. I thus give the lever 61 a movement which is effective through the connections previously described to swing the bobbin holder 46 rearward to transfer position.

Additional fingers 74 are provided at the rear portions of the track extensions 66. These additional fingers 74 are also yieldingly held in out of position by the springs 69 but will yield ini *ardly to permit the cam roll 63 to pass out of either one of the track extensions 66, after being admitted thereto by inward. movement of one of the cone spending lingers 68.

The lever 71 is suitably connected as by a wire or cord 76 (Fig. 1) to an arm 77 on the rock shaft -11 previously described. As the rock shaft a1 is moved to release a weft carrier from the magazine, the lever 71 will be advanced to the position indicated in Fig. 6 and the subsequent rotation of the cam 65 will cause oneof the fingers 68 to be pressed inward, after which the cam roll 63 will traverse the cam extension and act through the connections previously described to advance the holder carrying the bobbin which has been released to position said bobbin under the transferrer 20.

The means for actuating the transferrer is best shown in F 3 and comprises a lever 89 having a lug or projection 81 normally positioned above a cam roll 82 mounted on the transferrer 22. The lever is pivoted at 82 on the magazine frame and is normally held in raised position against a stop pin 83 by a spring 84;.

A book 85 is pivoted at 86 on the lever 89 and extends downward adjacent a book 87 on the upper end of a plunger 88. The plunger 88 (Fig. 1) is connected by a giveway device 89 to a cam lever 99 having a cam roll 91 positioned in the track of a clouble-acting cam 92 on the cam shaft 13. The plunger 89 is thus given a regular reciproca tion upon every revolution of the crankshaft 11 which geared 2 to 1 to the cam shaft 18. The connections of the give-way 89 to the lever 99 is preferably adjustable to vary the throw of the plunger 80 if desired.

The hook 85 (Fig. 3) is normally held against a stop pin 94L by a spring 95, in which position it is out of the path of the hook 87. The hook 85 is also provided with a leaf spring 96 engaged by a bell crank 97 pivoted at 98 on the magazine frame and connected by a link 99 to the arm 49 previously described, the connection between the bell crank 97 and the link 99 preferably permitting of a considerable amount of lost motion.

lVhen the arm 49 is swung outward in the direction of the arrow a the bell crank 97 will be rocked, forcing the rearwardly extended upper arm of the bell crank downward against the spring 96 and swinging the hook 85 into the path of the book 87 which is then in raised position. The arm of the bell crank 97 is then received in a depressed portion 109 at the lower end of the spring 96 and remains in holding engagement while the lost motion connection with the link 99 permits the arm 49 to return to its normal position.

The plunger 88 thereupon acts througl'i the hook to draw the lever 89 downward during the forward movcn'ient of the lay 1-1, thus depressing the transferrer 22 and offecting replenishment of the weft carrier in the active shuttle. During this movement the spring 96 moves downward out of engageuient with the bell crank 97, so that the hook 85 will be disengaged from the book 87 at the end of the return upward move ment. As the lay approaches front center, the cam roll 82 on the transfcrrer runs off of the front end of the lug or projection 81 on the lever 82 and the transferrer immediately returns to the raised position before the lever 89 is released.

Having thus described the details of construction of my improved weft replenishing mechanism and the operation thereof, it is believed that the construction will be readily understood and that further and separate description of the general. operation. is unnecessary. I do not wish to be limited, however, to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing multhshuttle loom, a stationary magazine having a plurality of bobbin compartments each having a separate discharge opening at its lower end, a bobbin holder movable beneath said discharge openings and having a single bolt bin holding recess therein, a lay having a plurality of shuttle boxes mounted at the magazine end tl'iereof, said boxes being movable to present a selected shuttle box in running position and each selected. box thus positioned being substantially unobstructed above and below to permit free vertical replenishment of an unexhausted bobbin in a shuttle boxed therein, means to selectively position said bobbin holder under any one of said discharge openings, selective means to release a bobbin from the corresponding compartment, and means to thereafter ad vance said bobbin holder and bobbin to transfer position over said running shuttle box.

2. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which means is provided for thereafter transferring said selected bobbin from said bobbin holder to said running shuttle.

3. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which means is provided on the lay for thereafter transferring said selected bobbin from said bobbin holder to said running shuttle.

4. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which a transferrer is mounted on the lay above the running shuttle, and

il ll in which means is provided for depressing the transferrer as the lay approaches front center, to thereby. transfer a bobbin from said bobbin holder to the running shuttle.

5. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which a transferrer is mounted on the lay above the running shuttle, and in which means is provided on the loom frame for depressing said transferrer as the lay approaches front center, said transferrer being freed from said depressing means at front center and being immediately returned to raised position.

6; The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which a transferrer is mounted on the lay above the running shuttle, and in which means is provided on the loom frame for depressing said transferrer as the lay approaches front center, said transferrer being freed from said depressmg means at front center and a spring being provided to immediately return said transferrer to raised position before substantial rearward movementof the lay.

7. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which the bobbin holder is selectively positioned beneath the magazine in predetermined relation to the movements of the shuttle boxes to and form running position.

8. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which the bobbin holder is selectively positioned beneath the magazine in predetermined relation to the movements of the shuttle boxes to and from running positiomand in which additional means is provided for thereafter moving said bobbin holder from its selected position to a common transfer position above the running shuttle box.

9. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 1, in which the bobbin holder is selectively positioned beneath the magazine in predetermined relation to the movements of the shuttle boxes to and from running position, and in which additional means is provided for thereafter moving said bobbin holder from its selected position to a common transfer position above the running shuttle box, said additional means bein rendered operative by indication of wet exhaustion in the shuttle about to enter the running shuttle box adjacent the magazine.

10. In a weft replenishing loom, astationary magazine having a plurality of separate bobbin compartments, a separate bobbin retaining device closing each compartment at its lower end, an actuator for said retaining devices, inoperatively spaced therefrom, a bobbin holder, selective means to position said holder under said magazine compartments, and an element movable by said holder to form a connection between said actuator and the retaining device associated with the bobbin compartment under which said bobbin holder is selectively positioned.

11. In a weft replenishing loom, a stationary magazine having a plurality of se iarate bobbin compartments, a separate bob in retaining device closing each compartment at its lower end, an actuator for said retaining devices, inoperatively spaced therefrom, a bobbin holder, selective means to position said holder under said magazine compartments, and an element movable by said holder to form a connection between said actuator and the retaining device associated with the bobbin compartment under which said bobbin holder is selectively positioned, said element being thereafter mo "liblG with said actuator and said retaining device.

12. In a weft replenishing loom, a stationary magazine having a plurality of separate bobbin compartments, a separate bobbin retaining device closing each COlllPflI'tll'lBllt at its lower end, a separate actuating member for each retaining device, a bobbin holder and means to give all of said actuating members in unison a normally inoperative movement, said bobbin holder being selectively effective to render one of said actuating members operative to move the retainin device from beneath the compartment witi which said bobbin holder is at any time positioned to co-operate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto ailixed my signature.

ALBERT A. GORDON. 

